Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl with Almonds

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Occasionally, I like to cut fruit into circles and layer it. Don’t ask me why. It’s probably the same reason that I used to pull apart paper clips and turn them into bracelets and earrings. We all have our impulses.

ANYWAY. Wanting to create a strawberry-banana weave was the inspiration for this smoothie bowl. I did it across half of the bowl and then I realized that it would look better with some extra toppings. I added granola for crunch and flavor, chia seeds for aesthetic and almonds to round out the toppings. I was happy with the way it turned out.

Tonight I got home from work and I was tired, and it was starting to get dark outside. But then I forced myself to go on a run. I like to be active after sitting at a desk all day. I walked outside and I stopped in my tracks. This is what the sky looked like:screen-shot-2017-02-16-at-8-43-52-pm
I’m not sure what the lesson is, here. Force yourself to go running when all you feel like doing is lying down on the kitchen floor? Always look up? I think both of these are true. But more than that, I take solace in these kind of sunsets. It reminds me that everything will be okay.

Here’s the song that I turned on to force myself to leave my house and go on a run. It’s also good for making smoothie bowls.

Strawberry Smoothie Bowl with Almonds (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1 banana
1 cup strawberries, stems and leaves removed
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
granola, chia seeds, almonds, strawberry and banana slices for topping

Directions

Blend the banana, strawberries, rolled oats, almond milk and yogurt in a blender on high until smooth. Top with the granola, chia seeds, almonds, strawberry and banana slices. Enjoy!

*A trick for making the strawberry-banana weave is to start with the berries. They’re lighter than banana so they won’t sink down as much when you put stuff on top of them.

Posted in Gluten-Free, Smoothie Bowls, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peanut Butter Chia Pudding with Berry Compote

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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I love breakfasts in a jar. There are few things better than waking up in the morning and having breakfast waiting in the fridge. If you’re in a rush like I’ve been lately, it’s convenient.

It’s also fun. I take my spoon and go from the top layer to the bottom, mixing the ingredients in the jar along the way. When I get to the bottom layer it’s like striking gold. Maybe I’m the only person who gets this excited about breakfast in a jar, but I don’t think so.

I’ve wanted to try peanut butter chia pudding for a while now. I’m a fan of peanut butter and jelly-flavored combos and I was intrigued by the way peanut butter would taste with chia seeds. I wasn’t sure if the textures would work well together, but as it turns out, they do. The peanut butter makes the chia pudding extra thick and creamy.

You can top this pudding with whatever you want, but I would recommend berries. Bananas would also taste good. I’m thinking about making a peanut butter/chocolate/banana combo soon.

In the meantime, I’ll be enjoying this PB&J version. Here’s a song that’s been stuck in my head since Sunday, when I made these jars for breakfast during the week.

Peanut Butter Chia Pudding with Berry Compote (slightly adapted from Minimalist Baker)

Ingredients

for the compote:

1 cup wild blueberries (frozen or fresh)
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp chia seeds

for the pudding:

1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp natural salted crunchy peanut butter, plus more for serving
1/3 cup chia seeds
fresh blueberries for topping

Directions

To a small skillet or saucepan, add the blueberries and water. Warm over medium-high heat until bubbling. Then lower heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes – stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add chia seeds. Stir to combine.

Divide the compote between two Mason jars and place them in the fridge to chill.

In the meantime, add almond and coconut milk to a blender, along with vanilla, maple syrup, and peanut butter. Blend on high to fully combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, or peanut butter for saltiness.

Add chia seeds and pulse a few times to incorporate, being careful not to blend as you want the chia seeds left whole.

Transfer to a liquid measuring cup or jar (or just set your whole blender in the fridge), and set in the fridge to begin chilling.

Wait 10 minutes for the chia compote to cool. Then remove the chia pudding and compote from the refrigerator. Give the chia pudding a stir to redistribute the chia seeds, then divide the mixture between the two jars with the compote.

Cover well and set in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1-2 hours (preferably overnight), or until chilled through and pudding-like in consistency.

To serve, top with extra peanut butter and fresh blueberries. Will keep covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Enjoy!

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Baked Eggs on Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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I’ve been on a baked eggs kick lately. First, there was the best baked eggs I’ve ever tasted in my life. Then, I attempted a weird marinara version that I will probably never repeat. Last night I made these eggs, and they’re a close second to the best baked eggs.

The best part about this dinner, besides how delicious it is, is how easy it is to make. All you do is slice some cherry or grape tomatoes in half, bake them in the oven, season them and crack some eggs on top. That’s it. It’s perfect for nights when you don’t feel like cooking, or for when you need some quick comfort food.

I ate my eggs with toast, but I bet these would taste good on top of rice or farro, too. The basil and Parmesan give them an Italian flair.

Here’s a song to listen to while you wait for your eggs to bake. Patience is a virtue, but sadly, I don’t have it. The song is also good for long morning commutes. For some reason, it reminds me of the highway.

Baked Eggs on Roasted Tomatoes (slightly adapted from Cookie + Kate)

Ingredients

3 cups (about 16 ounces) sweet cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried basil leaves, plus more for sprinkling
1 garlic clove, minced
flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arrange the halved tomatoes in an even layer in a medium-sized baking dish (mine was a 9-inch by 9-inch square) or oven-proof skillet. Bake the tomatoes for 12 minutes, then remove the dish.

Top the tomatoes with all of the Parmesan, drizzle on the olive oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp basil and season with salt and pepper. Stir the garlic into the mixture, if using. Gently crack an egg over the tomatoes, keeping the yolk intact. Repeat with the remaining eggs, dispersing them somewhat evenly over the dish.

Return the dish to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Check at 8 minutes—you’re done when the egg whites have set but the yolks are still soft. They should still jiggle in the centers when you shimmy the pan. Sprinkle the cooked eggs with salt, pepper and a little more dried basil. Serve right away with toast. Enjoy!

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Mango Banana Smoothie Bowl with Kiwi

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Yesterday morning, I decided to make hearts out of kiwi. It had nothing to do with Valentine’s Day, even though that’s coming up this week. I forgot about Valentine’s Day until I saw everyone posting pictures about it on Instagram.

If you decide to cut kiwi into hearts for any reason this week, here is a tip: Make sure you slice the kiwi thin enough so the cookie cutter can go through, but not so thin that the kiwi falls apart when you cut it. There’s a fine line, trust me. Kiwi is also kind of a volatile fruit when it comes to cutting it, so proceed with caution.

I paired the hearts with a mango smoothie bowl, blueberries, granola and coconut. It’s the perfect bowl for days when you miss summer and wish you were at the beach.

Here’s a song that I’ve been jamming out to recently. It goes well with this bowl.

Mango Banana Smoothie Bowl with Kiwi Hearts (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen mango
1 banana
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
kiwi, blueberries, granola, chia seeds and coconut for topping

Directions

Blend the mango, banana, almond milk and Greek yogurt in a blender on high until smooth. Top with kiwi, blueberries, granola, chia seeds and coconut. Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Gluten-Free, Smoothie Bowls, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pizza Break: Pi Pizzeria

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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It’s been a while since my last pizza break installment, so I decided to bring it back.

Pi Pizzeria is a St. Louis staple. It’s been around for a while now, and there are restaurants downtown and in the suburbs. There are also restaurants in D.C. and I used to go to the one in Penn Quarter sometimes with Rachel, my best friend from home.

Pi is known for their deep-dish pizza, and for good reason: It’s addictive. The pizza has a crispy cornmeal crust that’s soft on the inside, and it’s filled with different toppings. I always go for the “Berkeley,” with kalamata olives, mozzarella, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic and red pepper, but I’m also a big fan of the “Western Addition” with baby spinach, ricotta and feta.

If you go in the direction of the thin crust pizza, definitely check out the “East Loop.” It has mozzarella, roasted chicken, mushroom, red onion and basil pesto. You’ll end up eating the whole thing by yourself. I always end up eating the whole pizza by myself, whether it’s deep-dish or thin crust.

The best part about Pi pizza besides the crust is the sauce. It’s fresh, tomato-y and spicy but not overwhelmingly so. It makes you forget that you’re eating an entire deep-dish pizza by yourself, which is not an easy feat.

Here is a song that reminds me of Pi pizza. It’s also good for moments when you need to go lie down because you decided to throw self-control out the window.

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Honey Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl with Blood Orange

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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This is the best breakfast I’ve made for myself in a while. I make a lot of breakfast, so that’s saying something.

The bowl isn’t labor intensive; it’s not like a smoothie bowl or pancakes. But maybe, that’s part of its appeal. All you do is mix some Greek yogurt with honey, top it with berries, blood orange, pumpkin seeds and granola, and then drizzle more honey on top. Now that I’ve cracked the code, I’m going to make this for breakfast all the time.

On a semi-related note, I’m still freaked out when I say/write the word, “blood orange.” I know it’s irrational. A blood orange does not have…well…blood. But it gives me the same feeling inside as walking in a dark alley alone at night.

Here’s a song that describes how I feel about this bowl.

Honey Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl with Blood Orange (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey, plus more for topping
1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup raspberries
1/4 cup granola
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 blood orange, peeled and cut into segments

Directions

Combine the Greek yogurt and honey in a bowl. Top with the berries, granola, pumpkin seeds, blood orange and granola. Drizzle more honey on top. Enjoy!

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Cherokee Street

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Sometimes you live in a city your whole life and never see parts of it. That’s what happened with me and Cherokee Street.

I grew up in St. Louis and I went to college here. Then, I spent a few years living in different cities. When I moved home a few months ago, I wanted to revisit places I’d already been, but I also wanted to explore new places. I can’t believe that it took me almost thirty years to make it to Cherokee Street, but better late than never, I guess.

Cherokee Street is a beautiful combination of old and new. When you look around, you see historic brick houses and buildings, brightly painted awnings and vintage lampposts, but you also see hip restaurants and shops. All the stores on the street have vintage interiors. That’s part of their appeal.
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Here are some of my favorite places on Cherokee Street. Most of them are on Antique Row, which is a small stretch of shops and restaurants on the street:

Flowers to the People

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I saw a picture of Flowers to the People on Instagram and I’ve been dying to go ever since. When I went today, I wanted to put a cot in the corner and live there forever. The owner (I think she was the owner?) seemed nice, so maybe she’d let me.

As one would expect, there are flowers everywhere. There are also beautiful window displays and antiques lining the walls. The shop is a great place to go to if you want a quick escape from city life, especially during the winter. screen-shot-2017-02-09-at-3-24-56-pm

Whisk

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I thought that I’d been to every bakery within a 30 mile radius of St. Louis, but clearly, I was wrong. I didn’t even know that Whisk existed until last week. Now, it’s one of my favorite bakeries in the area.

Everything at Whisk is made fresh daily, so quality is on point. The case is small but there are a fair number of options, including something called a “duffin,” which I ordered. I’m sort of morally opposed to ordering hybrid pastries because I think they’re gimmicky. But I don’t care what the duffin is or is trying to be: It’s delicious and everyone should eat one immediately.
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The Mud House

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If you want a place to relax for an hour and read and drink coffee, The Mud House is the place to go. It’s a quintessential Cherokee Street spot, as evidenced by the number of locals eating there in the morning and afternoon. I got there a little before lunch time and it was already busy. screen-shot-2017-02-09-at-3-25-49-pm
I like the Mud House because there are so many options. You can order breakfast and lunch all day, and the choices range from scrambled eggs and bacon to curried lentils with poached eggs. I ordered the latter and I loved it. The eggs were perfectly poached and the lentils were spicy and warming.
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Ruby Francis

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I’ve been reining in my spending lately, but it was hard to exercise self control at Ruby Francis. The store, which makes handmade goods, had three of my favorite things: Deer, flannel and jewelry. I know I just sounded like a millennial cliché but I don’t care. I loved those things before they came things.

Everything at Ruby Francis is reasonably priced, so you can afford to go a little crazy. I’m going to come back when it gets warmer and I have more money to spend.

So anyway, that’s my guide to Cherokee Street. Whether you’re coming to St. Louis to visit or you’ve lived here your whole life, you should check it out. Coffee, vintage, deer, baked goods: What more can you ask for?screen-shot-2017-02-09-at-3-27-05-pm
Here is a song I heard while I was eating my doughnut/muffin at Whisk. It matches the vibe on Cherokee Street. Check out my Instagram for more pics!

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Deconstructed Waldorf Salad

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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When I was younger, my family would go out to a certain pizza chain establishment and along with my pizza, I’d order a Waldorf salad. Except that it wasn’t actually a Waldorf salad because it had honey mustard dressing and gorgonzola cheese.

This salad isn’t a Waldorf salad, either, but it comes closer.  I added some chicken and subbed out the mayonnaise and celery, because I’m not a fan of mayonnaise as salad dressing and I think that the best way to eat celery is with peanut butter. I made a balsamic olive oil dressing, which went well with the grapes and chicken.

I also added in some blue cheese because I think that it gives the salad a kick. I like to put things in my salad that make me forget that I’m eating salad.

Here’s a good song for making deconstructed Waldorf salads, non-Waldorf salads, or whatever you happen to be working on.

Deconstructed Waldorf Salad (from me, to you)

Ingredients

for the salad:
1 cup baby salad greens
1/2 cup all white-meat chicken breast, cubed
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup red grapes, sliced in half

for the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Assemble all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Make the dressing. Top the salad with extra blue cheese, walnuts, grapes and apple (if you have extra).

To make the dressing, combine the ingredients in a liquid measuring cup or Mason jar. Stir until well mixed. Pour on salad and toss. Enjoy!

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Vegan Sweet Potato Muffins

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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All I can say about these muffins is, SWOON. Omg. They are so good. I was expecting them to be delicious, but I wasn’t expecting them to be addictive.

Here’s what happens when you eat the muffins: You’ll have one. You might put Irish butter on it (I’d highly recommend that combo). Then you’ll have a second. Then, you’ll have a third. At this point, you should run away from the kitchen, unless you have no qualms about eating 12 muffins in one sitting.

The muffins are vegan but don’t let that fool you. They’re better than almost every other muffin I’ve tasted, except maybe the squash masala one that I had recently in Chicago at Little Goat Diner. They’re light, moist, slightly sweet and full of spices. I’m glad I made them this morning because the temperature dipped down again in St. Louis, so I could use something warm to eat.

The other perk of these muffins is the way that they make the kitchen smell while they’re baking. Picture Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole plus your best winter spice candle, and you’ll have the right idea.

Anyway. Make these muffins immediately. Put some Irish butter on top. Take a minute or two in the morning to enjoy one (or 10), because life is short and good muffins are essential. Here’s a song to play while you’re enjoying one.

Vegan Sweet Potato Muffins (slightly adapted from Hell Yeah It’s Vegan!)

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 Tbsp sweet potato puree
¾ cup almond milk
⅔ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly oil a muffin tin, or use parchment baking cups like I did.

In a large bowl, mix together sweet potato puree, almond milk, brown sugar, water, oil, maple syrup, and lemon juice.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices.

Combine wet and dry mixtures until just moistened. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Mine took about 25 minutes but it might vary depending on your oven.

Let muffins rest a moment in the pan, then cool slightly on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Muffins, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brie Green Apple Salad

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Emily Wasserman

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Whenever I think about this salad, I hear the words, “greens, greens, greens,” set to the tune of Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills.”

ANYWAY. The song and the salad share some things in common. They’re both about empowerment and feeling good about your decisions. I made this salad because I had leftover microgreens and Brie. As it turns out, it made me feel really good after I ate it. The Brie is heavy but the rest of the salad is light. I love the way the creamy Brie tastes with the tart apples and cranberries. The salad, like the song, has attitude.

You can sub in pecans for walnuts, but I’d recommend using walnuts in the salad. They add some crunch and they taste good with the apple and Brie. Picture oven-baked Brie with honey, green apples and walnuts, and you’ll land somewhere close to this salad.

Here’s the aforementioned song, just in case you’ve forgotten it. And here’s another song that’s good for mornings when you need some motivation.

Brie Green Apple Salad (from me, to you)

Ingredients

1/2 cup Brie cheese, cut into strips
1 green apple, chopped
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup microgreens
1/4 cup walnuts
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1/2 a lemon

Directions

Place the spinach in a bowl and top with the microgreens. Add the Brie cheese, green apple, walnuts and dried cranberries, and squeeze juice from half a lemon on top. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment